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Sports | Volleyball 1025

SPORTS

Trannon emerging after big game

After sitting out all of last year and catching only nine passes for 64 yards in the first five games this season, sophomore receiver Matt Trannon finally busted out of his shell last weekend. And his coaches and teammates couldn't be more excited. "First of all, you got to remember he hasn't gotten very much time on the field, and I think you'll see him begin to continue to steadily improve each week," senior quarterback Jeff Smoker said.

SPORTS

Suton picks 'U' over Arizona State

Jon Styf
October 9, 2003

If the MSU basketball team is lacking one thing, it would be depth in the post. The Spartans took a step in the right direction Wednesday when Lansing Everett senior center Goran Suton orally committed to MSU. "I'm going to stay here and be a Spartan," Suton said in Everett's Earvin "Magic" Johnson Gymnasium. With the early exit of freshman Erazem Lorbek last season and the possibility that sophomore Paul Davis might leave early if he has one or two spectacular seasons, the Spartans' most pressing need was at the center and power forward position. When Florida Air Academy star Alexander Kaun, who orally committed to Kansas, eliminated MSU as one of his potential schools, the Spartans put more effort into recruiting Suton.

SPORTS

Jail time not needed for Heatley

As one athlete died, he took his teammate's career with him.Dan Snyder of the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers was a passenger in teammate Dany Heatley's Ferrari when Heatley spun off the road and smashed into a brick and wrought iron fence.

FOOTBALL

Turnover margin key in 'U' success

Jon Styf
October 8, 2003

It seems simple enough, but in recent years, MSU has had a problem keeping control of the football.With the re-emergence of quarterback Jeff Smoker and linebacker Mike Labinjo, one of the major reasons for the Spartans' early success is winning the turnover battle.The past two seasons, the Spartans (5-1 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) gave up the football 52 times and gained it on an opposition turnover 44 times.

FOOTBALL

Spartans land recruit in speedy 6-foot-2 star

Patrick Walters
October 8, 2003

In the middle of a recruiting season marred with wavering interest and flip-flopping commitments, the MSU football coaching staff finally got some good news Monday night.Tom Dance, a speedy 6-foot-2 all-around athlete from Erie Cathedral Preparatory School, verbally committed to the Spartans after an official recruiting trip this past weekend.

FOOTBALL

Rogers injures collarbone

Detroit Lions wide receiver Charles Rogers broke his right collarbone in practice Tuesday. Rogers, a former Spartan who won the Biletnikoff Award last year at MSU, was taken to a hospital and is still being evaluated, according to Detroit Lions officials. Rogers "got tangled up" with cornerback Dre' Bly in the morning practice on Tuesday, head coach Steve Mariucci said. "(Rogers) went up for a pass and went down on his shoulder," Mariucci said.

FOOTBALL

Despite poor start, Gannon worth start against Cleveland

With four games in the past, it is all even between The State News homegrown fantasy football gurus. A new season begins in Week Six - known in college football as Separation Saturday - when fantasy players start showing whether they will be consistent forces each week. Look for good football in Week Six as three of the NFL's weakest teams - Cincinnati, Detroit and San Diego - take the week off.

VOLLEYBALL

Spikers OK with 10-4 record

Megan Homanick
October 8, 2003

The No. 16 MSU volleyball team has reached the halfway point of the season. And luckily for the Spartans, they've done it with more positives than negatives. Even though it would like to be better than 10-4 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten, the team is happy with its record and the prospects of the season's second half. "I'm happy with the record," senior libero and co-captain Emmy Miller said.

FOOTBALL

2 Spartans awarded for play

For the third straight week, an MSU player was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. Spartans senior defensive end Greg Taplin recorded three sacks to lead the MSU defense in shutting down Indiana, 31-3. Taplin moved into second place in the conference in sacks along with teammate and junior defensive tackle Matthias Askew with six for the season.

SPORTS

X-Factor looking to follow Izzone footsteps

With nearly seven weeks remaining until the MSU women's basketball season begins, advertising freshman Lauren Clayborne and pre-nursing freshman Rachel Morgan sit inside a dimly lit, cavernous Breslin Center on a single section of bleachers, neither parquee floor nor basketball to be seen.But seven weeks from now, Clayborne and Morgan - two of MSU's newest students - are hoping to bring Breslin Center back to life during women's games, courtesy of MSU's newest student cheering section - the X-Factor.After a loosely organized push by fans last year and the slow dissolution of "Coach P's Pack Attack" before that, this year will be the first official season of the X-Factor.Backed by the Student Alumni Foundation in the tradition of the Corner Blitz (football), Slapshots (hockey) and the Izzone (men's basketball), X-Factor is looking to get off the ground in time to provide a swell of support when the Spartans open the season against Davidson on Nov.

SPORTS

Soccer Brief

A two-goal, two-assist performance by MSU soccer senior forward Thomas Trivelloni last week won him Big Ten Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week honors.Trivelloni's efforts helped MSU to two double-overtime wins over Loyola (Ill.) and Ohio State.The Spartans beat Loyola (Ill.) 3-2 Wednesday as Trivelloni assisted on MSU's first goal of the match.

SPORTS

Field Hockey Brief

MSU field hockey's midfielder and goalkeeper take both of the Big Ten's top honors this week.Junior Veerle Goudswaard took home Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors with two goals and four assists in two games over the weekend.

SOCCER

Spartans victorious in 2 OT thriller

Scott Galetto
October 6, 2003

Scott Cendrowski For The State News The MSU men's soccer team played a tough Big Ten matchup against Ohio State on Sunday, narrowly winning 2-1 halfway through the second overtime period. "It was a huge, huge win for us," head coach Joe Baum said. The sunny afternoon game yielded no scoring in the first half, with both teams struggling to find an offensive rhythm.

SPORTS

Secondary dominates Hoosiers, LoVecchio

MSU's defense left the door to its backfield wide open for the first three games of the season. Then the secondary found the key to closing that door halfway through the Notre Dame (1-3) game - communication. Ever since their discovery in South Bend, Ind., the drastic improvement by the defensive backs has paid off huge for the No.

SPORTS

Sports briefs

Brian Beute
October 6, 2003

'U' shuts out Buckeyes Fewer shot attempts and fewer corner kicks led the MSU women's soccer team to a 1-0 loss to Ohio State Sunday in Columbus, Ohio. MSU only attempted 11 shots to OSU's 19, relying on senior goalkeeper Stacy Heller to stop the Buckeyes from scoring, which she did five times. The Spartans also allowed three corner kicks, one of which returned the Buckeyes' only goal. Lutz resigns as coach MSU men's and women's swimming and diving head coach Jim Lutz stepped down Friday because of health concerns and family priorities. Sixth-year associate coach Matt Gianiodis will serve as interim head coach for the 2003-04 season. Lutz was diagnosed with chronic mononucleosis, Epstein-Barr virus infection and chronic fatigue syndrome in March.

ICE HOCKEY

Icers blank Windsor 6-0 in exhibition game

Paul Day
October 6, 2003

It took two of three periods for the MSU hockey team to defeat the University of Windsor 6-0 in Sunday's afternoon skate."I'm happy that we got a chance to play in a competitive situation," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.